The only indication of a link’s destination is the url that is displayed when you hover over the link with the mouse cursor.

Cursor Indicator is a free userscript that addresses this. It will automatically change the mouse cursor when it is moved over a supported file link.

The userscript supports the following file extensions and protocols: zip, doc, exe, pdf, txt, xls and e-mail. Each file extension is indicated with its own cursor design to make the distinction easier.

The cursor change is automatic and requires no user interaction. The standard white mouse cursor will change to the appropriate file type cursor whenever you hover the mouse over a support file link. Please note that this acts as an indicator only, the links remain clickable.

The script is offered for multiple web browsers. According to the project page, it supports Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera and Internet Explorer. Firefox users can use the Stylish extension to install it as a user style, or Greasemonkey or Scriptish to install it as a userscript.

The script works on direct links only. Some websites use redirects to link to direct files. Those redirects are not detected by the script which means that the cursor won’t indicate that the destination points to a file.

Cursor Indicator works on all websites and properties. It has been tested on Google and Bing search, as well as on forums and blogs.

Interested users can download the userscript from the UserStyles website.

The free software eXpresso offers a third option. The portable program acts as a proxy that can register file extensions with selected applications. This way it is possible to assign file extensions to portable applications or installed programs, provided that eXpresso is running in the background.

So how does it work? EXpresso taps right into the standard Windows file launching routine. It becomes active whenever a file is launched that has no association yet in the program’s database.

It is then possible to associate the file extension with another program. This opens a standard file browser to select a software from the computer system. The new program can be portable or installed. You need to make sure that the selected program supports the file extension. It is furthermore recommended to assign no new programs to executable files.

An alternative option is to associate file extensions with new programs in the program options. This speeds up the process as it is possible to add multiple file extensions in rapid succession.

EXpresso saves the information as relative paths in its program folder. The new file associations stay active for as long as the eXpresso program is running in the background. Once it is closed the old associations take over again.

Hotkeys are available to launch the selected file extension in an alternative application or the system’s default program. Holding down Shift launches the file in the default program, the Alt key on the other hand launches it in the second alternative program if one is configured in eXpresso.

The software has been specifically designed for computer users who make use of portable software. It is an ideal companion for an USB stick or a portable software collection.

The initial configuration takes some time, and it is suggested to configure the majority of file types in the program options and not via the program’s monitoring feature. There does not seem to be an option to pause the monitoring, which means that the window to associate a new file extension will come up frequently in the beginning.

The program offers several advanced features, from editing path information of previously configured applications over monitoring specific windows to the convey feature which allows you to send a file to “any app with the Send To context menu in Windows”.

The freeware eXpresso is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit versions and editions of the Windows operating system. This includes full compatibility with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The software can be downloaded from the developer website over at gluxon.com.

Even worse, there is no option to create a new file type, edit an extension’s properties or change the icon. ExtMan is a free portable program for Windows users who want to create, edit or delete file extensions in the operating system. It adds the functionality to Vista and Windows 7, but runs fine under Windows XP as well.

The program displays a list of all known file extensions on startup. The list of extensions can be sorted by extension or file type. Users who are looking for a specific file extension can use the built-in search to do that comfortably.

English users need to click on the US flag to change the language from German to English. A selection menu is displayed on the right side to edit, create or delete extensions among other features. The easiest way to edit an existing extension is to double-click it in the extension listing.

Here it is possible to change the extension icon, manage actions, configure whether the file extension should always be shown in the operating system and if a confirmation is required to open files with the extension after download.

Actions can be created, edited or deleted. There is furthermore an option to configure a default action if multiple are available.

Another handy feature is the ability to create a backup of a selected extension to be able to restore it at a later time.

The final two options available are to reset the IconCache, which is handy if an extension icon has been modified, deleted or added, and Edit Flags to add flags to extensions.

ExtMan is a handy program for Windows users who want to create, edit or delete file extensions in the operating system.

Another possibility is the Open With desktop client which adds itself to the context menu of Windows Explorer after installation. A right-click on an unknown file type – or any file type actually – will display the “How Do I Open This” entry which will open a new window that contains a short description of the file type and software program suggestions to open those file extensions on the computer system.

Only free software programs have been listed during tests. Open With will link to the download page of those suggested programs or inform the user that the program is already installed on the computer system.

The display of the suggested software programs to open the file extensions was broken on the test system. Another aspect that many users will not like is that the program adds itself to the first position in the Windows Explorer context menu. To move the entry in Windows Explorer read Windows Explorer Context Menu Editor or Windows Explorer Menu Editor.

Lastly the program tries to install another application (PC Mighty Max 2009) during setup which is not needed for Open With to function properly. A quick check on the developer’s homepage revealed that it is a commercial software. It is not recommended to install that software.

A way to manage the context menu entries would be to edit them right in the Windows Registry. A more secure solution is by the use of software like Shell Menu View by NirSoft. The portable software displays a list of all registered shell extensions of a Windows operating system with information like the menu name, the file extensions or the path of the application.

The tables can be sorted in various ways and there is a search to find that one extension that you want to edit right now. A right-click on any row in the software program opens a context menu that provides options to disable or enable an extension, open the Registry key of that extension or print a list of all or selected items.

ShellExView is a portable application that runs on most Windows operating systems but works best in Windows XP and Windows 2000 because they can make use of the disable feature.

The tool Cpext adds a file extension column to Windows Explorer making it possible to sort the files in detailed view by their file extension and not their type.

The Windows Explorer extension is available for Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP including the 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.

A right-click on the file CPExt.inf and the selection of install will start the installation of the Windows Explorer extension. A logoff / logon or reboot is required before the additional column becomes available in Windows Explorer.

The column has to be activated by right-clicking on a existing column in detail view mode and selecting more from the menu that opens. Check the Ext entry in the following menu to add the file extension column to Windows Explorer.

Another solution is offered by applications like Trid that scan the file and display those information on the local computer. This method has a few advantages over the Internet search. The first and most obvious one is that no Internet is required to identify the file and the second that there will be no danger of landing on a website that might lure the user into downloading malicious software.

Trid (via Shellcity) is actually a very sophisticated software that comes as a command line interface version, a Tridnet version that comes with a GUI, an online version that can be used on the Trid homepage and a scanner that can add new file extensions to the database.

Trid uses a database of definitions to identify files:

TrID uses a database of definitions which describe recurring patterns for supported file types. As this is subject to very frequent update, it’s made available as a separate package. Just download both TrID and this archive and unpack in the same folder.

New definitions can be added by scanning files on the system or by downloading the newest definition file from the Trid homepage.